The following thoughts certainly cannot be blamed on anyone other than me, but many people inspired and encouraged me over the years, not the least of whom was R. Nicholas Gimbel.  McCarter & English has had no shortage of outstanding lawyers, but Nick stands out in my memories of the firm for the courage, passion, and insight that he brought to life, and to the practice of law.  It was a privilege to have been one of Nick’s law partners and friends.  I am indebted to Nick for his generosity in sharing ideas, and for sponsoring my membership in the American Law Institute.  His death last year, at age 58, came too early for his creative, searching mind.  My modest hope is to honor Nick by dedicating this blog to him.

Welcome to a blog of discussions about the law of torts as it has come to be in the 21st century United States.  President and Mrs. Obama are urging the people of the United States to slim down and firm up.  What better way to accomplish this goal than to cut out mass torts from our diet?  Surely the history of mass tort product liability litigation in the United States — over asbestos, Fen-Phen, silica, and myriad other raw materials and products – is a history of gluttony and excess.  So let them eat little torts.